1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to necklaces and bracelets with decorative baubles, bangles, and beads.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 37 CFR 1.98
A popular type of necklace includes a flexible strand to which a number of beads are retained by being strung on the strand a lumen in the bead or a loop attached to the bead. Beads often are purely decorative and come in a variety of colors and shapes and often have embedded decorative elements such as stones. In addition, beads often have symbolic meaning to the wearer and represent descendents or important events. Necklaces having a plurality of beads often suffer from “bunching”, the tendency of all of the beads to collect in a single group at the bottom of the necklace rather than remain in the desirable more even distribution about the length of the necklace. The invention of this patent application prevents bunching.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,983,716 discloses a jewelry lock in which the ends of strand have attached extensions. The extensions may be secured by a jewelry lock having the external shape of a bead. It includes two hinged hemispheric cups with notches which accommodate hitches attached to the ends of a bead chain, thereby securing the ends.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,530,221 discloses a necklace attachment for shortening the length of a string of pearls. The attachment engulfs and attaches together two pearls which are in adjacent portions of a strand of pearls. Another embodiment engulfs one pearl and may be used to attach decorative elements to the strand.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,562,704 discloses a latch for a chain having a male and female element. Removable designer elements are strung over the compressed male element and are retained by the female element and uncompressed male element. There are no provisions for preventing the movement of elements on the chain.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,907,322 discloses a pearl necklace with a stainless steel wire which is secured by a retainer having a setscrew. The pearls are separated by elastic rings.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,279,132 discloses a holding device which prevents the movement of a body adornment suspended from a chain. This avoids the tendency of the clasp to walk-around or creep from the back to the front of the wearer's body. The adornment is affixed to the wearer's skin or clothing using a double-sided adhesive, spray adhesive, or brush on adhesive.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,449,810 discloses a stopper for jewelry strands. The stopper is strung on one or two strands and secured in place by two rubber rings, one above and one below the strand or strands. The stopper is used to adjust the length of a flexible strand.
None of the discovered prior art provides the advantages of the present invention, that of decorative keepers which retain beads on a necklace in a desirable distribution and prevent bunching.